How To Register Your Websites Domain Name
The first domain name in history was Symbolics.com, which was registered on March 15, 1985. Today, there are more than 300 million domain names, with millions more added each year. A domain name is essentially the address that visitors will type into their browser address bar to arrive at your website.
Domain names allow users to easily connect to other computer IP addresses by typing in an address like Google.com instead of Googles numerical IP address of 74.125.239.116. In other words, domain names make our lives a lot easier.
Your domain name is an important part of establishing your brand. No two domain names can be exactly alike, although they can be similar. Ideally, your domain name will be unique and distinctive, so users dont confuse it with other domain names or different businesses.
You might be wondering isnt a domain name, then, simply a website? Although they are similar, domain names and websites have important differences. Your domain name is the address for your website it is what people use to find your website, which consists of pages, images, and other files.
Choosing and registering a domain name is often the first step when building a website. Read on to learn how to register a domain name.
How Much Should You Pay For A Domain Name
Okay, so how much should you pay for a domain name?
Well, it all depends on your budget, if you are a billionaire and want to buy www.lasvegas.com, go for it.
However, you probably arent a billionaire, which means that you need to think carefully about how much you are willing to invest in a domain name.
There is a common mistake that first-time entrepreneurs make. They use their limited startup capital to create an appearance of a serious business. They get an expensive domain name, custom web design, business cards, etc. But all that isnt doing business, its playing business.
Sure, you need to look professional, but you shouldnt let that distract you from what actually puts money in your pocket, which is selling your products or services.
Basically, when you are just starting out, you should only be spending money on things that directly contribute to your bottom line. Everything else can wait.
For example, when Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook in 2004, it was called The Facebook and hosted on .
Facebook purchased its current domain name in 2005 for $200,000.
At that point, Mark Zuckerberg had validated his idea, the social network was growing rapidly, and Facebook had already received their first investment from the PayPal founder Peter Thiel.
Zuckerberg wanted to call his social network Facebook from the start, but the domain name wasnt available, so he simply added the word the to it and got to work.
Should I Register More Than One Domain
Yes! Registering multiple domain names protects your brand from domain squatters or copycats who may try to register alternative versions of your domain. For example, if you own coffeelovers.com, you may want to consider registering coffeelovers.net and coffeelovers.org as well. You may want to consider misspelled versions of your domain name too.
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Do I Have To Pay For My Domain Name Every Year
Score: 5/5
You pay for one year of registration for a.com or.org domain when you buy or transfer it. Unless you cancel, you will be charged a renewal fee each year.
The price for a domain name depends on where you register it. The registry has to pay a wholesale price for each top level domain, but the registrar can mark up the price as it pleases. You can pay as little as $9 a year for a.com domain.
The price range for other domain extensions is even bigger. It pays to shop around.
You can expect to pay anything from $0.99 to hundreds or thousands of dollars for Top-Level Domains. The average price for a domain name is between $0.99 and $12 per month.
Preregistered than new ones, but can cost anywhere between $10-$20 dollars. It is worth shopping around to find the lowest price for a domain, since it depends on how popular it is. It’s nice to have domain registrars like that.
Can you buy a domain name and not use it?
The answer is “no”. If you only want to reserve a domain name, you can simply register it. You don’t need a website or a web host to get that name.
Is it possible to reserve a domain name without buying it? The only way to reserve a it. If you want to reserve it, you have to buy it. A small investment for a business is the low name.
You can by following these steps. Take a look at what the domain is being used for.
You should look for domains that are similar to the one you want. There are price tags on them.
Can you own a domain name outright?
Will I Have To Continue To Pay A Fee To Keep My Domain Name After I Buy It
One of my visitors wrote to ask me, what happens after the year for which I paid to own the domain name?Who would I be paying in order to have the right to keep the domain for a second year or more? If my site issuccessful, am I likely to find the registrar demanding an inflated price for me to keep that name? This article attempts toclarify the issues pertaining to registeringor buying a domain name.
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How Much Does A Domain Name Cost
The exact cost of your new domain name will vary based on the registrar, the specific top-level domain you’ve chosen, and the quality of the domain name. Domain.com is proud to offer more than 300 unique TLDs to help your new website stand out. Some domains may be pricier due to their intrinsic benefits, like being short and memorable, or the use of very competitive keywords such as cars.com. Browse our premium domains to jumpstart your website performance.
Get A Domain & Start Your Website
Now that you have an in-depth answer to how much does it cost to buy a domain name?, you can decide how you want to go about buying yours. If youre ready to get started with your website on your new domain, . Mailchimp provides the support and resources you need through all of the stages of setting up a new website.
Bring your brand to life with your own website. Design from scratch, connect a domain, analyze traffic, and optimize for SEO.
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So What Happens If I Miss The Deadline
So, your domain names renewal date came and went, and it wasnt set to auto renew. The first thing that happens is that your website disappears! A domain name is an address: remove the address and browsers cannot find your site any more. If you had a domain name email address, you would equally lose access to your inbox and all your emails.
Whats worse, unless you manage to get your domain name back, youve also lost all the traffic and reputation your website had built up over the years. For a business, its a total nightmare situation.
The next stage depends on your registrar, as each tend to have different rules. Typically though, they will grant a grace period of around a month, during which time it should still be possible for you to renew the domain name at the standard fee. Theres no guarantee though: sometimes theres no grace period at all.
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Domain Name Fees To Watch Out For
Sometimes you might not be getting as good a deal as you think when registering your domain name. Below youll learn about some hidden charges youll want to watch out for:
- Hidden fees. A lot of times what might seem like a good deal up front wont actually be a good deal. Sometimes fees will be buried within the terms of service. Look out for things like transfer fees, increased renewal fees, long-term domain contracts and more.
- Short-term discounts. Some domain registrars will offer seemingly good discounts, but this discount will only apply if you register for a long-term contract, or pay for multiple years up front. Short-term coupons can help you get a cheap domain up front, but make sure the costs wont increase drastically after the first year.
- Scams. Some domain registrars that offer ridiculously cheap, or even free, domain names will end up charging very high administration fees, or even manipulating your Whois records. Make sure youre only buying your domain name from a reputable seller.
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What Premium Domain Names Are
A domain name that is already owned by an individual or company is usually off the market. However, some owned domains are available for sale. These are called premium domain names:
There are many reasons a name could be considered premium. Maybe its no longer in use and instead of relinquishing the domain, the owners have continued to pay for it. This is typically because its a name that someone else is likely to want.
In fact, some people buy domain names they never intend to use, hoping to sell them at a markup. Registrars can even set aside certain names as premium, and charge a higher domain name price for them.
There are a number of reasons a particular domain name might be viewed as especially valuable. A few key factors include:
- Length: Shorter names are usually more memorable and appealing to a wider audience.
- Brandability: Catchy, unique names that immediately communicate their niche and audience are considered valuable.
- Keywords: Certain keywords, such as cars or tech, are so popular that it can be hard to find new and quality domain names that include them.
Whatever the reason, once you encounter a premium domain name you have two options. You can try to purchase it, or look for something else. Lets discuss how to go about making that decision.
What If Someone Already Has The Domain Name I Want
This is a valid concern, given that over 1.7 billion websites are live on the Internet right now. Chances are a lot of great domain names are taken, and when this happens, the cheapest option by far is to brainstorm a different name. But if youre dead set on a domain thats taken, and dont want to compromise, you still have some options.
You can use resources like snapnames.com to see domains that have recently become available . Otherwise, youll have to pay much more for an aftermarket domain, usually by dealing with online auctions in which youd bid on an already-registered domain to be transferred to you.
Aftermarket domain prices are so expensive because the value that a short, relevant domain name can bring to a brand is, well, invaluable . For example, if you were looking for car insurance and werent sure where to start, you might head to CarInsurance.com a domain which sold for $49.7 million in 2010.
Of course, not all aftermarket domains will go for millions, but as a rule, any useful one will still be pretty expensive. Since most of us wont be dropping our lifes savings on a domain name, were going to have to come up with our own. So you might be wondering
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Differentiate Support From Sales
Some registrars dont have support staff, but instead have salespeople who are trained to get you to buy add-on services you might not need, while pretending to offer customer support. Read reviews about your registrars support team, or try calling their support line before purchasing. You want a registrar that offers courteous and professional service and assistance, not one that views you as a cash register they keep trying to ring.
Buying a domain name should be fun and exciting
As a rite of passage for any new business or online venture, buying a domain name should be fun and exciting. With careful research before you choose a domain registrar, you can sidestep some unfortunate traps and make sure your domainâand your businessâare in good hands for years to come.
Buying a domain
At Google, transparency, privacy and security are part of our mission. Customers who use Google Domains get a full suite of free services, including privacy protection, and no hidden fees, ever. If youre looking to compare your options, we invite you to take a look at the.
Ready to get started with a registrar you can trust? Start your domain search now at.
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Do You Have To Pay For A Website Domain Summary
A domain name is like the address of your website. Its how people find you online. If you want to have a website, you will need to buy a domain name.
You can buy a domain from a registrar such as GoDaddy or Namecheap.
Prices for domains vary depending on the registrar and the extension , but you can usually find something for about $10 per year more or less.
Once you have bought your domain, you will need to set it up with a web hosting service.
This is where your website files will be stored, and its what enables people to see your site when they type in your domain name.
A Domain by itself is not a website. You will need both a domain and a web hosting service to create a functioning website.
There are many web hosting providers to choose from, so be sure to do your research before selecting one.
Prices for web hosting services start at around $5 per month.
In fact, as we mentioned, some registrars offer discounts for purchasing multiple years up front or if you go with one of their web hosting plans, will even throw in a 1 year free domain registration to sweeten the deal.
So, if youre planning on having a website for the long haul, it may be worth considering a longer-term plan and hosting.
So, in summary, you will need to pay for both a domain and a web hosting service if you want to have a website.
However, you can find very affordable options for both of these services if you shop around.
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Picking A Domain Name
The right domain name boosts your websites chances of success so take the time to think about this.
There are lots of things to consider when choosing a domain name. Obviously, you need something that relates to you and your business. This will help people find you.
Including keywords in your domain name can also help. This means that when people search those keywords youre more likely to come up as a result.
And dont go for anything too long. The longer your domain name, the more likely someone is to make a mistake when typing it out.
Or they might misread it when its written down. You need a domain name that clearly shows what the website is all about.
Avoid things like numbers or hyphens. This reduces the room for errors when typing out your domain name.
People might forget where the hyphen goes. Or they might write out the word six instead of putting the number 6. All of these things make you harder to find.
It might be tempting to use slang in your domain name. For example, changing you to u might offer more available domains. But this can also make you harder to find.
If youre struggling to find a domain name that you like try doing some research into the market. Seeing what else is out there might inspire you to think outside the box.
Finally, use an appropriate top-level domain. If youre based in France it doesnt make sense to use an extension for New Zealand!
Keep it short and memorable. This will make it easier to find you.
Can I Delete My Domain Name
The most common way of letting a domain expire is by choosing to not renew it. However, if you want to be rid of the domain name immediately, you can generally do so through the domain registrar. Most registrars permit customers to be unattached to their domain name, although some registers may require a fee.
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What Should You Look For In A Domain Registrar
We discussed this in-depth in our How to Select the Best Domain Registrar article.
Here are the most important things that you should look for:
- Low pricing. You dont want to spend more money than you have to. Fortunately, the competition in this industry is fierce, so all major companies offer affordable pricing.
- Free WHOIS protection. People can look up the details of any domain name and find out who owns it. This might present privacy issues. Its best to use WHOIS protection which prevents snoopers from seeing this information.
- Auto-renewals. If you dont renew a domain name it eventually goes back on the market. This might cause serious problems if some enterprising individual snatches your domain name and then offers to sell it back to you for a substantial amount of money. Thats why its best to go with a domain registrar that automatically renews your domain name.
Also, if a domain registrar is not transparent about their pricing, you should see that as a red flag and stay away.
Another thing to watch out for is a bad user interface. You shouldnt need a computer science Ph.D. to figure out how to do basic tasks such as parking or transferring domains.
Finally, if a domain registrar doesnt offer 24/7 customer support, it might be too risky to use their services. What if something goes wrong and you need immediate assistance? You can lose a lot of money in potential revenue if the problem isnt solved right away.
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